Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
5
County
Cass
Location
The site is within the Jim Edgar Panther Creek Fish and Wildlife Area in east-central Cass County, approximately 2 miles southeast of Chandlerville and 0.5 miles east of the Panther Creek State Wildlife Area.
Description
The acreage of hill prairie communities in Illinois has decreased dramatically over the past 50 years due to encroachment by woody plant species. Aerial photos of the Cox Creek Hill Prairies Land and Water Reserve from 1938 reveal most of the area was open and contiguous prairie with scattered trees found only deeper in the ravines. Recent aerial photos of the area show a major reversion to woodland with small, scattered remnant prairies remaining. The loss of hill prairies state-wide makes Cox Creek Hill Prairies Land and Water Reserve an excellent opportunity to preserve an important component of Illinois’ natural heritage. The site represents a high-quality example of a loess hill prairie complex in the Springfield Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division. The complex includes Grade B and Grade C loess hill prairie identified by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (Cox Creek Hill Prairies INAI #1334). The combined diversity of the hill prairie complex along with the relatively large acreage of the community type makes it an important natural area. These hill prairies support populations of little bluestem, side oats grama, and Indian grass, as well as other typical prairie forbs. In addition, the prairies provides habitat for grassland birds and supports four state threatened species.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Springfield Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division (#4b)
Registered
February 1999
Size
575 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. There is a parking lot to the west of the hill prairies. The reserve and parking lot are best reached by heading east/southeast from Chandlerville.
Topographic Quad
Newmansville
For Further Information
Visit the State Fish and Wildlife Website or Contact the INPC
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov